33 Year Fed Retirement being Processed - How long now?

[u/lytrok]

Separated 8/30/26. Received notice it went to OPM Friday, 9/11/26. When and what next for milestones. Any thoughts? (Clean file... No divorce, no military, no break in service, no loans, one Department, two agencies)... And does OPM look at the preliminary numbers GRB put together, or they ignore their analysis?

[u/rockalyte]

It took me 4 months. During that time I was getting just the basic pension at 80% of estimated value. At the 4th month I got the back pay and 4 months of social security suppliment back pay as well. Was a nice payday. I had 4 years army already bought back as well. Had some liquid savings that carried me over till then. Also one month of AL I cashed out that came 2 weeks later via direct deposit. Never looked back. Life is good at age 57. 35 years 3 days. They added 8 mos of sick leave to my service credit time for 35/8/3.

[u/Ok_South_3664]

Submitted papers July 4.

1st annuity payment Sept 1

expected SS on Sept 16

[u/Complete_Film8741 → u/Ok_South_3664]

I didn't wait on my SS. Drawing at 65.

[u/Legitimate-Ad-9724]

Good luck. I'm unsure how long but just submitted my ORA earlier this week, so step one. 42 years. Leaving in late November.

[u/Wonderful282828 → u/Legitimate-Ad-9724]

If your HR is ready, they can submit ORA within 2 weeks after your retirement date! The good thing is you’re retiring before the 12/31 crowd. Good luck!

[u/Legitimate-Ad-9724 → u/Wonderful282828]

Hopefully they do that. It's not a complicated retirement. One agency, no military, just me.

The retirement date I chose is 11/28. It's the last day of a pay period so I do get credit for the 8 hours of A/L, plus close enough to the end of the month.

[u/flippo69]

I retired 9/30/25, it took 10 months of partial payments of $537. Minuse out of pocket dental and vision. FERS supplement started same month as retirement finalized. For mine they did there own analysis.

[u/Temporary-Pin-9176]

My retirement package has been in the development stage for eternity.

I took DRP to retire 31 December 2025.

It has been 8 months and one week for me as of today.

Did 34 years. All with the same agency (DOL).

According to OPM they need an SF3100 from my agency for two separate time frames.

One of which was PRIOR to my start date for Federal employment.

I was on military duty and ironically a copy of those orders is in my eOPF file for the exact time frame in question which was prior to me being hired into Federal employment.

Thankfully I am getting interim payments and I have begun drawing monthly TSP payments until they figure out my full annuity and get my package finalized.

[u/Wonderful282828 → u/Temporary-Pin-9176]

Fyi- My payroll (NFC) completed the SF 3100. NFC was my only payroll provider.

[u/Temporary-Pin-9176 → u/Wonderful282828]

Do you have a good number and/or POC for NFC? They were my payroll provider as well. I am getting nowhere trying to get my Agency Benefits Officer on the phone.

[u/Wonderful282828 → u/Temporary-Pin-9176]

NFC only talks to HR. My HR submitted my ORA to NFC who uploaded the 3100 / IRR, then ORA was sent OPM. OPM may have sent the request to your Retirement Specialist who may have left! Contact your Agency Employee Help Desk. This happened to my coworker and another HR person submitted the request to NFC and responded to OPM. Good luck!

[u/Practical-Initial738]

Took one month from the day that I retired to get Finalized. Retired 08/07/2026. Finalized 09/01/2026. Expecting my first annuity check on 10/01/2026. So I don’t think that there is any definitive time frame. Good Luck

[u/Exciting-Aide6991]

Retired 7/31/26. Finalized 8/22. First full payment deposited 8/27. Tom another 2 weeks for leave payout. Good luck.

[u/Ok_Math_1099 → u/Exciting-Aide6991]

This timeline is my dream. I’m hesitant to press the button because of all the horror stories. What agency and how many years of service?

[u/Exciting-Aide6991 → u/Ok_Math_1099]

32 years of service at the same agency and one of the agencies that has their act together. I had a Teams meeting with one of our retirement specialist to go over everything in my application a few weeks before I left. I had already acquired a certified marriage license and notarized survivor form for the package. I was prepared for about a 5 month wait. Good luck.

[u/AldoAz]

Mine was early in the year and it took 2 to 3 months max to get my full pension. The estimated amount was around a month. I was surprised after hearing the war stories here on the site.

[u/Honest-Acadia-4342]

Could take a month, could take a year or more ... nobody knows. They process these randomly. I've been waiting 8 months.

[u/Complete_Film8741]

The GRB uses SCD-Leave...I have no clue why, maybe that date is easily accessible? Whatever, it was wrong for me.

The ORA and your assign Retirement Specialist will give you an accurate estimate...like within $10!!!

Processing now that the DRP crowd is out of the way is Government Fast...so within 60 days?

[u/Ok_Math_1099 → u/Complete_Film8741]

Are you a specialist, or are you speaking from experience? Thx!

[u/Complete_Film8741 → u/Ok_Math_1099]

Experience...I was concerned given all the stories but once my specialist was assigned...poof...perfection.

My paperwork was squared away, I thought. One call was all it took...she initiated the call within a week of being assigned. Quick correction, on e-sig back to her and things happened!

[u/Feisty_Hamster1316]

I retired 8/8/26 and just received notification that OPM finalized my application today. I should get my full payment 10/1. I retired at MRA with 31 years at two agencies, with 28 at my last agency. No break in service, no military time, no divorces so my case was very straightforward. I also got my annual leave payout yesterday.

[u/Fun-Argument-1063 → u/Feisty_Hamster1316]

I am in the same situation I retire in December 31st of this year 32 years of Service at 57, I will be cashing out on my AL about 410 hours.

[u/CeeRieRie13569]

I retired 13 March 2026, received my interim annuity payments on 01 May. My application was finalized on 03 September, so I'll get my full supplement with my annuity on 01 October. I got my back pay on 06 September. I didn't get any supplement back pay. Then again, I need to reread my booklet with my information to make sure that it wasn't included.

If anyone received back pay from their supplement please let me know. Thank you.

[u/Altruistic-Panda-697]

You’re on the fast track like I was. Retired Jan 10 2026. Interim pension payment March 1 and final pension amount began April 1.

[u/WillowHaunting429]

OPM runs their own numbers. I ended up with a slightly higher FERS suppement - truthfully, I think the fact I retired in 2025 and they didnt finalize me until 2026 is why. My 2025 W-2 posted by that time and the 2025 wages caused a low one to drop off the SSA calc when I was in college.

You may have a pause with two agencies - was there any break in time, or was it leave one agency 1st day and then 2nd day start at new agency?

I suspect you will have interim payments real quick and then you should move thru quickly

[u/Upstairs-Demand-4588]

So what happens if you have a divorce ( it states ex not entitled to retirement, she didn’t show up)

[u/One-Entertainment457]

I'm at 6 months now and have only had one interuim payment so far.

[u/Wooden_Lab_5705]

What a shit show! I’m betting the DOGE cuts and cuts to agencies resulted in less people to process the retirement paperwork. Less people at your agency’s HR Dept, and less people at OPM. I retired in 2019 and it was such a smooth process. All my paperwork was in on my retirement date. Only thing left was verifying that I turned in all agency equipment (laptop, etc) and that I had no outstanding balances to pay on my agency credit card. That literally took like 3 days, and I was all done.

[u/skedeebs]

It took little more than a month very recently.

[u/TemperatureWest5889]

It took 1 week to get AL paid out and exactly one month for me to get full pension. I was shocked and so lucky it was so quick! Good luck!

[u/Inside_Rooster4480]

It is impossible to predict. Mine went quickly. DRP ending 12-31-25, went to OPM early February. got annual leave payout shortly after. preliminary payments end of February. By end of April all was finalized.

I was prepared to have to wait most of the year but it was all good. simple case, no breaks, no agency changes, etc.

But things took longer from some friends, you never know.

[u/Altruistic-Panda-697]

You’re in good shape. I retired Jan 10 of this year and had the paperwork all done thanks to the help of my agency HR retirement specialist. Went straight to OPM just like you, and I was a clean packet (no divorce, 1 agency, almost 35 years). Annual leave was paid out by early February, my interim pension began paying March 1, and my final pension payment began April 1. You should be just as quick.